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(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1. M S CODY MAIL BAG FASTENBR. No. 573,074. Patented Dec. 15,1896.

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(No Model.)

M S. CODY. MAIL BAG FASTENBR.

Patented Dec. 15, 1896.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT MILES S. CODY, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIVERSAL MAIL EQUIPMENT IMPROVEMENT COB'IPANY.

MAIL-BAG FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,074, dated December 15, 1896. Application filed August 25, 1896. Serial No. 603,916. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILES S. CODY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Fasteners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invent-ion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in mail-bag fasteners; and it has for its general object to provide a flexible fastener which accommodates itself to and is not aifected by bending or folding of the bag and secures the closure-flap thereof at several points, so as to effectually resist the introduction of any device for the surreptitious removal of mail,

and one which, while adapted to effectually prevent unauthorized opening of the bag, will permit of it being expeditiously opened by the application of power to the fastener at a single point and will automatically fasten the bag when the closure-flap is pressed against the body thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in 0 conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a bag provided with my improved fastener, the same being shown as open and with a por- 3 5 tion of its front wall broken away. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section illustrating the preferred means for securing the flexible bar against rotation and for rotating or partially rotating the same when the bag is to be 0 opened. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section of the upper portion of the bag, the same being shown as closed and locked. Fig. 4 comprises elevations of some of the links which make up the flexible bar, and Fig. 5 is a section taken in the plane indicated by the line 00 0c of Fig. 2.

In the said drawings similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the several views, referring to which-- Aindicates a mail-bag,which may be formed I of leather or other suitable material and is provided with a suitable closure-flap B, and O in dicates what I will, for the convenience of description, term lock-casings. These lookcasings C in the present embodiment of my invention are connected to the inner side of the rear wall a of the bag by rivets b or other suitable means, and they are arranged at intervals in the width of. the bag and are provided with the tubular extensions 0, which are designed to project through apertures (Z in the front wall e of the bag, as shown in Fig. 3, to receive the male members D of the locks, which in the present embodiment of the invention are connected to the inner side 6 5 of the closure-flap B at intervals in the width thereof and are provided with projections f or are otherwise adapted to be engaged and held by keepers in the lock-casings. The said keepers E may be of any suitable construction, but I prefer to employ the pivoted keepers, (better shown in Fig. 3,) which have one arm adapted to engage the projections of the male members or bolts D and another arm against which springs g impinge, so as to retain the keepers in engagement with the male members or bolts D and thereby secure the flap B in its closed position. The several casings .C are further provided with springs h, as shown in Fig. 3. These springs h are arranged to bear against the ends of the male lock members or bolts D, and they serve, when the keepers are disengaged from said male members or bolts, to throw the said members or bolts outwardly,so as to enable the 8 5 operator by grasping the flap B to raise the same to its open position.

To disengage the keepers E from the male lock m embers or bolts D, I provide what may be properly termed key-sections F, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. at. These key-sections F are journaled in the casings C and are provided with projections 'L', or are otherwise adapted, when rotated or partially rotated, to disengage the keepers E from the 9 5 male members or bolts D to release the flap l3 and open the bag, as before described.

The key-sections F, in conjunction with suitable links G, form the flexible bar II, which when rotated or partially rotated in 10;) the proper direction serves to disengage the keepers E from the bolts or male members D and thereby unlock the bag. The sections F and the links G may be flexibly connected together in any suitable manner, but I prefer to so connect them as to permit of a little longitudinal play between them, as this permits of the bag being bent or rolled or folded up without in any way affecting the efficiency of my improved fastener. The preferred construction is shown in Fig. l, and consists in bifurcating the sections 1* and providing some of the links with reduced portions at both ends and others with a reduced portion at one end and a bifurcation at their opposite ends and providing the reduced portions with slots or elongated apertures through which the connecting-pins pass, as shown.

Any suitable means may be employed to prevent rotation or partial rotation of the bar ll, except by those authorized to open the bag. I prefer to employ for this purpose a lock I of the Yale or other suitable pattern, which is preferably arranged within the bag and is fixedly connected to the walla thereof, as shown. The lock Ihas the usual rotary portion j, designed to be turned by the key J, and such rotary portion is provided with a projection 75, to which the contiguous link of the bar H is connected. Thus it will be seen that to turn the bar II when the bag is locked it is necessary to employ a particular key. \Vith this key the bar may be readily turned in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, and when it is so turned the several keepers E will be disengaged from the bolts D, when the springs 7t will force the bolts outwardly, and the operator may then grasp and open the [lap B. When it is de sired to lock the bag, it is simply necessary to pass the tubularextensions of the casings 0 through the apertures (Z of the front wall and then insert the bolts or male members of the locks in said tubular extensions and press them inwardly until their projections pass the keepers E, when the bag will be securely locked.

It will be observed that the belts or male members D of the lock fit singly in the tubular extensions of the casings (J, and therefore it is impossible to disengage the said male members or bolts D from the keepers E by bending or twisting the bag, which is an important advantage.

I have described the lock-casil'lgs O as be ing connected to the inner side of the rear wall a of the bag and the bolts or male lock members as connected to the inner side of the closure-flap 13. I prefer this arrangement, but I do not desire to be understood as confining myself to the same, as the casings are designed to serve, in conjunction with said lock, to hold the front wall 0 at the proper distance from the rear wall a. These pieces of leather K are not essential, nor is it essential to arrange the lock or other means for preventing rotation of the bar II within the bag.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that while highly efficient in practice my improved fastener is very simple in construction, is not clumsy, and does not render the bag unduly heavy, all of which are material advantages.

I'Iaving described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination with a mail-bag; of a fastener for the mouth thereof comprising female members secured to one wall and male members secured to the opposite wall or flap, pivoted keepers adapted to engage said male members, and a flexible rod free from threads or gears and adapted to strike said keepers so as to disengage the keepers from the male members when turned in its bearings and to allow the keepers to return to their normal positions while the rod has been turned in the position which disengaged the keepers and male members, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a mail-bag; of a fastener for the mouth thereof comprising female members secured to one wall and male members secured to the opposite wall or flap, pivoted keepers, and a rod composed of a plurality of flexibly-connected sections having both endwise and transverse play at the joints and adapted when turned or partially turned in one direction to disengage the keep ers from the male sections and allow the keepers to return to their normal positions with out further movement of the rod substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a mail-bag; of a fastener for the mouth thereof comprising female members secured to one wall and male members secured to the opposite wall or flap, pivoted keepers, and a rotatable or partially rotatable bar or red for manipulating the keepers, said rod being composed of key-sections (such as F) to engage the keepers, and links (as G) flexibly connected to the key-see tions, substantially as specified.

at. The combination with a mail-bag; of a fastening for the mouth thereof comprising female members secured to one wall and male members secured to the opposite wall or flap, pivoted keepers adapted to engage the male members, springs backing said keepers, springs contacting with the male members, and a flexible rod adapted to disengage the keepers from the male members substantially as specified.

5. The combination with a mail-bag"; having apertures in one wall and also having a closure-flap, of female lock members secured to one of the inner walls of the bag and having projections to enter said apertures, male lock members secured to the closure-flap,

ICO

springs to engage the male members, springmeans on the walls of the bag to secure the 10 backed pivoted keepers, and a flexible rod mouth thereof substantially as specified. having key-sections to engage the keepers, In testimony whereof I affix my signature subst-Xntially as specified. in presence of two Witnesses.

5 O. bag-fastener having the bar or rod II, t r journaled in bearings and composed of the MILES 9on1 key-sections F, and the links G, said rod beitnesses: ing permanently connected to a look at one E. L. YVILHOIT, end and adapted to cooperate with suitable l 13. O. BLIVEN. 

